About Team Sheeper Triathlon

Team Sheeper Triathlon is for athletes interested in a challenging and positive group training program. Adults of all ages and skill levels welcomed.

History of the team

Team Sheeper got its start when Tim Sheeper realized that the most interesting thing about coaching triathletes was the group energy and sharing of collective experience. He saw that achievement was greatest when athletes were surrounded by like-minded individuals who fed off of each other’s passion for the sport.

The other thing that Tim observed was that triathletes are generally fascinating people, achievers with lots going on in their lives. Some triathletes devote their lives to the sport and Tim enjoys coaching athletes with such admirable focus, but he found that he was most intrigued by the athletes who had other interests, families, and careers. He became an advocate for the multisport lifestyle and for the incorporation of training and racing into a lifetime of health. So Tim founded Team Sheeper in the mid 1990s, both to provide athletes with the power of group dynamics and to be able to reach more people with the message about multisport lifestyle.

Team Sheeper has evolved over the years and has offered many types of programming, but basically has stuck to Tim’s original mission. Team Sheeper is, as always, devoted to creating and building community around sport that’s welcoming, positive, and supportive. In addition to maintaining the team’s basic tenets, Tim embraces change and new experiences. Every year the team seeks to push both the organization and every team member out of their comfort zone so that we all discover capabilities that we didn’t know we had.

In recent years, the team has numbered over 100 members who do a lot more than triathlon. We have adventure racers, ultra-distance athletes, world-class swimmers, cyclists, runners, and life explorers who bring a richness to the team that’s unparalleled. We also have athletes whose children are involved in our youth programs and we encourage families and partners to train and race together. Today, we have broadened our outlook even further. Team Sheeper aims to channel our passion for athletic endeavors into benefits for the entire local and even the global community, sporting or not. We do this by supporting community-based charities and service organizations, and continually seek opportunities for our membership to spread the word about health and achievement.

Upcoming Events

Our race plan has been developed to appeal to a wide variety of interests so you can choose the events that are just right for you. This page describes the races that the team is focusing on for the year. Set your goals now and plan ahead for a challenging and rewarding 2019. And be aware that Team Sheeper athletes pursue a variety of races of all distances and venues, so keep your ears open and your Google group login fresh to hear about other adventures that your teammates are planning for the year.

2019 Team Sheeper Races

List coming soon!

Endurance Challenge

Building a fitness foundation in the new year is critical to a successful and injury free racing season. The Team Sheeper Endurance Challenge is our way of giving athletes high goals to keep them motivated during the early season workouts. They may seem simple when you read about them here, but challenging when you try them.

August

Kings Mtn Climbing Challenge: During the month of August you will climb Kings Mtn on 10 consecutive days or if you so desire, climb it 10 times in 1 day!

2019 Team Sheeper Fearsome Foursome

Jan

Fearsome Ultimate Run – Challenge yourself with a base-building 18-mile trail run at the end of January. Go easy, get some muddy, soft-surface miles under your belt and finish the day with pancakes cooked by Tim.

Feb

Fearsome Super Swim – Swim 1 mile / pool at four different pools in the area. Bike or run between each pool to be announced when locations are finalized.

Mar

Fearsome Epic Bike – 110 mile bike ride to the coast via Hwy 84, south on Hwy 1 to Bonny Doone, to Felton, and back up East Zayante to Skyline. Roughly 10,000 feet of climbing. (alternate date for bad weather is March 25).

Apr

Fearsome Tri – A bike ride to the top of Skyline Blvd and Hwy 9, followed by a steep trail run through and around the Skyline to Sea Trail and Castlerock Park. A ride back to Burgess Pool for a 2000 yard pool swim with 10 pushups after each 500. The day will total 55 miles of hill riding, 8 miles of trail running and 2000 yards of pool swimming along with 40 pushups.

Fearsome Epic Ride

This is the bike challenge of our Fearsome Foursome series. 112 miles and 8200 feet of climbing that will take you from Menlo Park to the coast, south to Felton and then the long climb back to Skyline.

Team Sheeper – Chase Group

When there is evening daylight, you can expect the team to be doing Chase Groups, a unique Team Sheeper bicycle workout that combines riding skills, intensity, and group riding strategy. Here are the details to get you to the Chase.

5:30pm – 5:45pm – Warm up
6:00pm -Join the team at intersection of Edgewood and Canada Road
Our coach will put you in groups of 3-4 athletes of similar ability – Some can do the 20 miles in 1.25 hours, others in 1 hour, and there are some that can do this loop in 55 minutes or better – all are fast times.
The first group is sent onto the loop.
5 minutes later, the next faster group will go. The “chase” begins.
3 minutes later, the next faster group will go.
And every 2 minutes after that, the following groups will go.
Ride as a group – It is always windy on Canada Road. Work together with your group to draft and protect each other from the windy section.

2019 Team Sheeper – Rustic & Raw Expeditions

Rustic & Raw Expeditions 2019

Badwater Team Relay Run135 miles from Badwater to Whitney portal

The Mother10K pool swim, Epic Ride, Ultimate Run-1 day

Sierra Swim ScrambleSwim in various alpine lakes connecting by bike over 3 days

3 PeaksHamilton, Diablo and Tamalpais by bike-1 day

Del Valle DunkRun and swim around the entire lake

Pinnacles Adventure CampBike to and around then run in breathtaking park

Schedule & Pricing for Team Sheeper Triathlon

Schedule

Check our our monthly training calendar! It details the locations and specifics for each scheduled workout, as well as including team events and team races.

Pricing

Note: If you are a 2018 monthly or quarterly member, no action is necessary to renew. Your membership will automatically roll over into 2019. If you are a 2018 annual member, you will need to renew your membership. Follow the appropriate annual membership links above.

2019 All Access MembershipAll Access includes all Team Sheeper workouts, Menlo Masters workouts, plus Boot Camp, Lap and Open Swim, Aqua Fit, Water Polo, and Tattersols Running Club. This All-Access Gold Membership for all levels is available in three formats, monthly, quarterly and annually.

Full Triathlon, includes all Team Sheeper workouts each week, plus full Menlo Masters swimming membership, and Boot Camp, Lap and Open Swim, Aqua Fit, and Tattersols:

Add Another ProgramChoose to concentrate in one area or expand your options and add an additional program membership for 35% off any equal or lesser value (DOES NOT apply to Early Bird Special pricing). Register early and enjoy greater savings!

Team Fee
Team Sheeper membership also requires an annual $60 team fee. Monthly members are billed on the first day of the month and quarterly members are billed on the first day of the calendar quarter.

USMS Membership
Menlo Masters is part of the US Masters Swimming association, which means all members must be registered with USMS for insurance purposes. Your USMS card is required to participate in Masters swimming events and you receive the benefits of regional and national news about Masters swimming. Register directly on the US Masters Swimming website at www.usms.org/reg/er.

Student, Senior and Family discounts
Student and Senior discounts are available for all memberships. Family discounts are available for family members participating in the same program. For these discounts, please contact the Service Center.

Additional Fees
Plus, special events and services we use outside the team often cost extra. These might include lodging and meals during our camps and tours, the cost of physiological testing at Endurance Performance Testing, or tickets to a movie or presentation we put on our calendar.

Newcomer information
If you are new to Team Sheeper and don’t know how to start, simply get in touch with team manager, Mike Osmond. He will answer all your questions about how to get started, how to meet the team, training levels and more! You can also come observe a workout. No matter what your experience, you can find workouts and a schedule to fit your goals. Our team possesses a huge range of skills and we like training and racing together, no matter what our individual experience and fitness. So you will get to train with athletes who can teach you a thing or two, plus you’ll have every opportunity to fill in gaps in your knowledge and add new skills to your repertoire. See you out there!

Meet the Pros

Tim Sheeper / Founder and Head Coach

For over 30 years Tim Sheeper has coached athletes of all ages at the beginner, intermediate, and elite levels. Tim’s passion for building a community of multisport athletes resulted in the formation of Team Sheeper in the mid 1990’s. Find out more about team history.

Tim has been competing in triathlons for more than 35 years and has been racing in running competitions since the age of 8. While Tim has competed at the age group level, he has competed as a pro triathlete since the late 80’s and has no plans of stopping.

Tim’s mission in life is to encourage and motivate people to live a life full of activity — strengthening both the body and the mind. He is interested in enabling the discovery that one is capable of doing much more in life than thought possible.

Tim also makes family a priority. He has three children who are active in sports and his wife Lisa is herself a champion swimmer and team advocate. Tim’s interest in developing whole-person athletes extends to including families in Team Sheeper activities and supporting members’ personal commitments.

Mike Osmond / Team Manager

Mike graciously holds the post of organizer, communicator, and ombudsman for Team Sheeper. He is deeply involved in triathlon as a sport, in current thinking about training methods, racing strategy, and team dynamics. So Mike brings a wealth of knowledge as well as great energy to the team. He is your day-to-day resource for team logistics and news, so don’t hesitate to “Ask Mike.”

A Team Sheeper member since 2002, Mike has completed 5 Ironman triathlons and is an avid runner with at least 10 marathons to his name.

When not immersed in sport, Mike works for World Wildlife Fund, utilizing his expertise in marine protected areas and fisheries bycatch to address conservation issues in various parts of the world. Prior to joining World Wildlife Fund, Mike (an Australian) worked on the Great Barrier Reef and in Western Australia as a marine park ranger. He also spent a number of years coordinating humpback whales research across the Pacific. Contact Mike directly.

Ian Hersey / Training Coach

Ian is the technology guy on the coaching staff – he runs the team’s TrainingPeaks-based program and is always up on the latest and greatest training gadgets. He also has a long history in the sport, having been a runner since 1980 and a triathlete since 1983, and has 13 Ironman finishes and over 25 marathons on his athletic resume, in addition to many other races across various distances and disciplines. A team member since 2006, he’s his own best lab rat, having transformed himself from a midpack Ironman to a Kona qualifier and set an all-time personal best at the Ironman distance at age 50.

When not training or analyzing power files, Ian works in Silicon Valley as a technology entrepreneur, where he’s built, bought and sold companies and has a particular interest in the intersection of language technology, social media, and big data. Married to a travel writer, he can occasionally be found on one or another Hawaiian island.

Abe Galvan

Coach Abe hails from San Jose and has enjoyed over twenty years of triathlon fun. He is a USAT certified coach and has worked with athletes of all ages and abilities, hoping they too can spread the love for the multi-sport lifestyle. As a young aspiring soccer nut, Abe would cross-train with friends running races and cycling hills all over the Bay Area, then jump in the pool at the local Masters program to cool down. Add in college at San Diego State and triathlons just came naturally. A Western States 100 Mile Run and Marin Double Century finisher, Abe sees no limits for any individual. His ideal day would include racing the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon, playing with his son at the park, and rocking out at a local punk show.

Jess Smith

Jessica Smith is the REAL DEAL! Jess began her athletic career by competing as an age group swimmer and continuing on as a collegiate rower at SMU. She joined Team Sheeper triathlon team a number of years ago and began actively competing in numerous triathlons. Jess took to the sport of triathlon very quickly and climbed the ranks to the level of professional triathlete.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ’s

Getting started

Q: How do I get started?
A: Write to Mike Osmond, team manager, to get your questions answered. You can also arrange to meet him at a workout if you would like more guidance. Try our workouts for one week with this trial offer. Meet the coaches, athletes, and experience the unique workouts we provide to the team.
Email General information: info@teamsheeper.com
Website feedback: webmaster@teamsheeper.com
Membership and billing inquiries: membership@teamsheeper.com
Ask Mike! For questions about workouts and events, team logistics, and what’s going on in general, give team manager Mike Osmond a shout. mike@teamsheeper.com.

Levels and pricing

The Team Sheeper pricing structure and workout schedule are designed for flexibility. We are all busy, with full lives that can make fitting in training and racing a challenge. The team encourages balance and creating your best schedule for your own best results. This means that there are a lot of membership choices — you get to choose your membership level and the workouts you attend.

Q: What about pro-rating?
A: We do pro-rate annual memberships purchased in February or March. Starting in April, you will buy the quarterly membership. We pro-rate quarterly memberships purchased mid-quarter. Our quarters are by calendar (Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Jul-Sep, Oct-Dec). And, monthly memberships purchased after the 7th will also be pro-rated.

Q: How do I cancel, suspend, or change my membership?
A: If you would like to cancel your Team Sheeper membership completely, please fill out the online Cancellation Form. Cancellation requests may also be taken in person through the Service Center, (650) 781-5525. Cancellation requests must be submitted by the 15th of current month to terminate recurring payment/membership for the following month.

Membership

Q: How do I pay?
A: You can choose an annual payment or automatic credit card payments either quarterly or monthly. If you’re annual, then you need to renew each year. If you’re quarterly or monthly, you’ll be charged automatically until you cancel your membership.

Q: How do I fit in if everyone on the team is training for long distance races and I’m just trying a sprint for fun?
A: We have many members who are short-distance specialists, are new to the sport, or simply don’t have time to train for long distance races. So you won’t be alone if a long distance doesn’t interest you. Our workouts will prepare you for sprint triathlons just as effectively. And if you’re a beginner, join our Level 1 program to train for your first triathlon.

Q: I don’t know what my plans are for the fall, can I join for just the first half of the year?
A: You can sign up for quarterly or monthly payments, but these are automatic debits so you would need to cancel your membership to quit for the second half of the year.

Training

Q: What is the focus of weekly training?
A: Our training schedule is designed to benefit athletes will all sorts of goals, so you will find that early season base-building is followed by gradual introduction of speed work and racing prep. Week to week, the workouts will help you stay healthy while improving strength and endurance over the year. We incorporate strength training, flexibility and core work with ongoing technique and skills training. We publish a monthly training calendar for our athletes and below you can see the structure for our weekly workouts.

Monday

Recovery day from the long weekend

Tuesday

Our weekday run workout. You can find us on a local track, sometimes a trail, and we often take advantage of our indoor cycling studio to make it a combo workout.

Wednesday

Our weekday bike workout. When daylight is limited we are indoor on the cycling studio. Otherwise, we are doing the Chase Group.

The long bike workout for the week. Portola Valley, Old La Honda, Kings Mountain, Pagemill, Pescadero, and Tunitas are just some of the locations we take advantage of in the Peninsula. And we usually encourage everyone to do the swim workout before the ride.

Sunday

The long run workout for the week. Woodside, Huddart Park, and bay trail at Oracle are the usual trails that we use for these workouts.

Swim

Daily Swim workouts – Team Sheeper members join Menlo Masters for workouts which are offered 7 days a week.

Q: Where are the workout locations?A: Angell Field, StanfordThe Cobb Track and Angell Field is one of our track workout venues and is open to the public when the track team is not practicing.Directions: Off El Camino Real, enter the campus by turning west onto Galvez. The track parking lot is on your left after the stadium, about one block.

Bayfront Park, Menlo Park
Bayfront offers a network of trails on mild hills and a paved flat perimeter loop on the shore of the bay.
Directions: Travel east on Marsh Rd until it ends at the Bayfront Park entrance at the intersection with the Bayfront Expressway (84). Cross the intersection to the parking lot.

Burgess Park, Menlo Park
Burgess is Team Sheeper’s administrative home as well as the venue for many team activities including Menlo Masters swimming and weekly bike ride starts.
Directions: Located at 501 Laurel Street. From El Camino, turn north on Ravenswood, cross the RR tracks and turn right on Laurel. From 101, exit Willow and drive toward Menlo Park. Cross Middlefield and look for Laurel Street on your right.

Chip Trail, Stanford
This is a trail covered in wood chips located across the street from the Stanford track. It’s a good soft-surface warmup loop.
Directions: Off El Camino Real, enter the campus by turning west onto Galvez. Park in the track parking lot on your left after about one block. Cross Galvez to get to the trail.

DeAnza College Track, Cupertino
A track that has lighting at night, popular with south-peninsula running groups.
Directions: Hwy 280 to 85 south toward Gilroy. Exit immediately at Stevens Creek Blvd, east to Stelling Rd. Turn right, then right again at McClellan. Turn right at the first entrance, park in lot D. The track is adjacent.

Edgewood at Canada Roads, Redwood City
Intersection where you can park for Canada Road and Edgewood Park workouts.
Directions: Hwy 280 to Edgewood Road exit. Go southwest toward the hills and park at Canada Road.

Foothill College Track, Los Altos Hills
A convenient mid-peninsula track that has lighting at night.
Directions: Hwy 280 to El Monte/Moody Road exit. Travel west and find the track on your right at the edge of campus.

Holbrook-Palmer Park, Atherton
This park is one of our favorite venues for indoor strength, core, and spin workouts. It’s convenient with a great old carriage house we use for our classes.
Directions: Located between Middlefield and El Camino Real at 150 Watkins Ave. From 101 take the Marsh Rd exit into Atherton. Turn left on Middlefield and right on Watkins. The park is on the left. From El Camino, Watkins is between the lights at Encinal and Atherton Ave. Turn onto Watkins, cross the RR tracks and the park will be on your right. Use either entrance and wind around to the back of the property.

Oracle Parking Lot for Bay Trail, Redwood City
Ideal starting point for runs north up the Bay Trail which goes all the way to SFO along the shore. The trail from Oracle to Coyote Point is a flat 8.5 miles each way. Bathrooms, some mile markers and water.
Directions: Hwy 101, take the Ralston exit, go east on Marine World Pkwy. Turn left into Oracle, and then an immediate left again into the parking lot where we meet.

Pioneer Hotel, Woodside
There is ample parking for Woodside bike starts and runs in this municipal building complex. It’s a favorite meeting spot and recommended for least impact on the town of Woodside.
Directions: Hwy 280, take Woodside Road (84) toward Woodside to the top of the hill. See the old Pioneer Hotel on the left. Park anywhere behind the buildings.

Q: My fitness has slipped due to travel. What do I do if I’m not feeling up for the particular workout that’s on the schedule?
A: Please come to workouts anyway! You can quickly speak to the coach and get a suggestion for a lower-key approach. Or, plan to complete all the exercises in the workout but only to the level you can sustain — slow down the reps or rest more frequently, slow your pace or cut the number of intervals. For example, on Saturdays, you can start out riding with Hani’s group but if you’re going to be short of energy (or time), plan to shorten the route. Just be sure to let the coach know so that the group doesn’t go looking for you! In all cases, don’t hesitate to ask about how to approach any workout.

Q: The team’s group emphasis is great, but what if I’m looking for an individual training plan?
A: We encourage following your own plan, but the team doesn’t offer this specific service. Athletes have different needs, from those who want daily input from a coach to those who want guidance about periodization of a season. In all cases, Team Sheeper membership can complement individual training plans:
There are many online and one-on-one coaching programs, and we can recommend some locally.
If you engage a coach, you can still join Team Sheeper workouts so that you don’t have to train by yourself.
If you structure your training using an online program, you can enhance your learning with Team Sheeper’s collective knowledge and experience.

Q: What if my training plans don’t correspond with individual Team Sheeper workouts?
A: We welcome your participation in all activities. However, if your workout requirements disrupt the objectives of a Team Sheeper workout, we respectfully ask that you choose another session. For example, if your training plan requires a bike workout of sprints or intervals, please don’t join a base-building ride that’s designed for long, slow distance. This would be like coming to a Pilates class when you need an aerobic workout that day — simply doesn’t make sense.

Sponsors

Team Sheeper sponsors believe in the mission of the team and provide discounts or supply merchandise to our members. Please say thank you for their support by visiting their stores and considering their products and services.

GoRide Bicycles is a proud sponsor of the Team Sheeper Athlete of the Month program, supplying gift certificates to our winners. Located on El Camino Real in Redwood City, GoRide is a full service bicycle shop offering 20% off labor, 15% of merchandise, and 10% of bikes to active Team Sheeper members. Stop in any time and meet Bob Weger, the owner of GoRide! Visit www.goridebicycles.com

Located in Palo Alto, SMI provides sports performance massage, injury prevention, injury rehabilitation, research, and education — the highest level of care in the best possible environment. Team Sheeper members receive a $10 discount on one hour massage services. Visit www.smiweb.org

Since 2008, Jim Gothers and Lisa Taggart have been providing exceptional, attentive service to our Bay Area customers. Staff members are informed, well trained salespeople who are runners and walkers and athletes themselves, so can speak from experience about the shoes, apparel, and gear. Visit www.fleetfeetmenlopark.com

At ROKA, we’re dedicated to empowering triathletes and swimmers with products that make them faster — faster than they were yesterday, faster than they were last season, faster than their competition. The Maverick Pro’s patent-pending design puts you in the fastest body position possible and facilities proper rotation for fast freestyle. What’s more, our suit is so comfortable that your shoulders will not tire like they do in your current suit – promise. After extensive pool and race testing, we believe the Maverick Pro is the fastest wetsuit on the planet. We have not found a faster suit. Along the product design path, we discovered a breakthrough training product in the SIM. For non-wetsuit swims, the super-fast and comfortable Viper offers NASA-tested, market-beating performance. More is on the way, so stay tuned. Visit www.rokasports.com

Rudy Project works in cooperation with athletes from every field, listening to what they want and need – working to find the perfect harmony between aesthetics and performance. Continuous research and design enable Rudy Project to utilize the latest and best materials in our cutting-edge products. Rudy Project has won Outside Magazine’s prestigious “Gear of the Year” Award twice, for it’s cutting edge frame and lens technologies. Rudy helmets were recognized as the #1 most worn Aero/TT brand at Kona for both 2011 & 2012 – and the Wingspan time trial helmet was selected as Triathlete Magazine’s “Best Aero Helmet” in its 2012 “Buyers Guide”.

We support people that make a difference every day. People who are committed to a healthy, athletic lifestyle and being good citizens. People who appreciate quality, innovation and no BS marketing. We are committed to producing the best possible eyewear for outdoor enthusiasts and stand behind each product we produce with integrity and pride to insure your completely satisfied no matter what. All of our products are perfect for running, cycling, golfing, fishing, tennis, and just about any outdoor activity.

Triathlete of the Year

Every year, Team Sheeper presents a Triathlete of the Year award to two exceptional individuals on the team. They are chosen for their personal, behavioral characteristics as well as for their athletic achievements and team contributions.

Our triathlon community is comprised of numerous individuals who are worthy of this award every year, but these athletes are singled out because of the way they elevated themselves in achieving ordinary to outstanding results during that year. And more importantly, they have improved our already thriving team culture by their actions and demeanor.

In the end, our team would just not be as successful without the involvement of these individuals. Congratulations to our winners!

2014

Mary Posey

Beginner to Badass in a decade.

The first time I saw Mary at a training session, I would have “bet the farm” that her career in triathlon would have lasted another 2 weeks before retiring to the local “quilting club.” Mary has taught me to never judge an athlete but what you see in front of you, but to get to know them and look deep into their resolve and soul for the true athlete. She has transformed her physical athletic machinery to match her competitive and ever positive psyche. She is one of the only handful of people that I know that takes on challenges with guts and gusto.

I have witnessed Mary cross the finish line at many extremely demanding XTERRA races where ambulance rides off mountain would be abundant for less than expert riders. I have seen her dominate stand-up paddling endurance races and take-off on lefts in Maui. I hope to meet more people in my life that surprise and impress me as much as Mary.

Paul Buttery

How can a guy be constantly smiling and in a good mood?
What does he know that we don’t know?
How can a guy always seem calm when there is a storm brewing around him?
What does he know that we don’t know?

Well, we know that our Paul Buttery:
Has ascended from a very green beginner triathlete to an accomplished Ironman triathlete in such a very short period of time.
We know that our Paul Buttery:
Equally enjoys conquering the challenges of a very tough Wildflower long course and the celebratory bacon laden breakfast the next day.
We know that our Paul Buttery:
Does not hold grudges against his beautiful wife after she crushes him in our annual donut-eating contest.
We know that our Paul Buttery:
Is doing triathlons for all the right reasons and we know that he will have a long a successful crusade in the sport.

2013

Claire Mancini

Like her famous namesake, Ray “Boom-Boom” Mancini, a world champion boxer, our own Claire “Boom-Boom” Mancini is a fierce competitor. Boom…she shows up at a race. Boom…she dominates the race. Claire is new to triathlons, but she is not new to competitive endurance sports. To accompany her strong and extensive background in swimming and running, this year she put her head down and started punching out cycling workout after cycling workout to a point where she is now able to knock-out all her peers in each of the three disciplines. Beneath Claire’s quiet exterior lies true grit and determination. These characteristics, coupled with her intense will to win and her insatiable appetite to improve herself by attacking every training session will allow her to be at the top of the sport for years to come.

Bob Carlin

Passion, wit and hard work. These are the three characteristics that have led Bob to be a valued and respected member of the team for a decade. The passion Bob has for triathlon and for everything he does in life is demonstrated by his consistency of effort, attendance and attitude. Bob’s ability to poke fun (Monty-Python-Style) at himself and a few others is the comic relief that is necessary to break the drama of pressure and tension that often builds and disallows others from taking our hobby and ourselves too seriously. When all is said and done, Bob is one of the hardest workers in the history of the team. He will flog himself over and over if it is necessary to get something done and done right, so he can finish with his patented phrase, “Jobs-a-Goodn’.”

2012

Heidi Buttery

Heidi’s appetite for improvement in her relatively new sport of triathlon is insatiable. Her quest for self-optimization is apparent at every training session and every event she graces. Her eternal optimism married with her internal drive has combined to elevate her swimming, cycling and running. Heidi has thrown the traditional wisdom of increasing one’s goals and expectations slowly and methodically, out the window. She has put herself on the FASTRACK and she is thriving due to her focus and drive in order for her to meet the high standards. Heidi accomplishes all this with an extremely humble and giving attitude and is admired by all team members.

Dave Mandelkern

Dave is the epitome of the Triathlete Statesman. He is driven, tenacious, experienced and a bit crazy. Dave is famous on Team Sheeper for completing a triathlon in each of the 50 states before he was 50. This amazing feat was only accomplished because of his resourcefulness, precision planning and expert execution skills. Dave has frequented our training sessions for more than a decade and honed his fitness and endurance skills during the week so he can launch into various challenges on the weekend that fuel his never-ending thirst for challenge and adventure. Dave has become a standard and steady measure on our team. Everyone always knows that his positive demeanor and his healthy output will add to our team experience.

2011

Vaagn Toukharian

Who knows where his peak is? Untapped and unknown are the best way to describe Vaagn’s triathlon talent.
Vaagn began his triathlon career with very little swimming, biking or running background or any sporting background for that matter. His strategy for triathlon training has been.. “keep up with the guy in front.” Well, Vaagn is running out of guys in front of him.
He has taken his drive for perfection, his analytical mind, and his raw physical talent and molded all that into being a national class triathlon contender.
Although he is capable of riding or running alongside the very best, he enjoys everyone’s company and can be found happily accompanying all levels of his team mates around the training courses, displaying his authenticity as a team player.

Jess Smith

Always smiling, always leading with a pleasantry, always inquiring about how you are doing.
This is very tricky to the uninformed…it is easy to mistake this wickedly talented young triathlete as a happy-go-lucky, just-glad-to-be-here amateur rookie….that is, until she puts her body into motion.
Whether she is swimming, cycling or running Jess will go “flat-out” at world class speeds with a ton of passion to accomplish whatever goal she sets out for herself.

Her tenacity and talent have propelled her to the top of her class in short, medium and long distance races. Her personal qualities also lift the performance and spirits of all who come in contact with her during training or racing, making Jess a vital member of our triathlon community.

2010

Ian Hersey

Tenacity, focus, determination, longevity. This is what Ian Hersey is made of. Ian has accomplished many great feats as an lifelong endurance athlete and he is nowhere near done with his career. In fact, he is just getting stronger and more intense as the years wear on. Ian is the ultimate achiever who is always setting out goals for himself that he is not sure he will be able to meet. Each time he does meet the goals it just makes him that much stronger and hungrier for the next horizon. Ian is and will always be a competitor in every age group that he enters in the triathlon world or his beloved running community. His contribution of passion and pure joy of triathlon to the Team Sheeper culture has no match.

Mia Terada

Mia is a phenom and is not even aware of it. Mia has really only scratched the surface of what her body and mind are capable of accomplishing in endurance sports. As she continues to build years of athletic experience her confidence in her athleticism will follow and she will begin to demonstrate exactly how lethal she could be on a triathlon course. She has shown that her hard work, consistency, positive attitude and perseverance allows her to find the steps of a podium at most of her competitions. Mia has overcome many physical set-backs to achieve her fitness goals. This Team Sheeper Triathlete of the Year has only just begun her ascent.

2009

Keith Terada

2009 was the year that Keith decided to commit to change from a recreational athlete to a competitive athlete. He not only changed his mind about his desires, he changed his training schedule, he changed his racing schedule, he changed his thought patterns, he changed his eating habits, he changed his personal expectations, and through all this he changed how people viewed his athletics. The one thing Keith did not change was his passion for keeping it “fun” and keeping it “real.” 2009 was only the first year in what I am sure will be a long line of years of personal discovery and improvement.

Kelly Couch

2009 was the year Kelly decided she had enough of being a good triathlete. She decided she wanted to be an excellent world class competitive triathlete. She wanted to put her whole being into reaching her physical and mental potential. Her great strides in 2009 as an athlete had nothing to do with more or harder physical training, it came from belief. Step by step through the season she was able to believe more in herself and her abilities which enabled her to tap into her extreme athletic potential. Each time she stepped to a starting line in 2009 she had more confidence and belief than her previous event. This confidence unlocked her door to high performance and self-satisfaction.

2008

Mike Osmond

Mike is an athlete that performs at his peak when he is surrounded by positive and enthusiastic people. He has been doing triathlons for almost 20 years over all distances and has plenty of experience to share with newer team members. Mike uses his natural ease with people to offer his positive energy in return for theirs. He has employed this formula to continually improve each of the three disciplines over the many years he has been a part of the team, and is a great example of how consistent training can overcome the aging process.

Cindy Welton

Cindy is a unique triathlete who has progressed tremendously since her introduction to the sport a few short years ago. Her drive to uncover the mysteries of our sport have led her on a quest to improve as an athlete by the most efficient means possible. Her tenacity at consistency and her continual positive outlook on life and sport has enabled her to come into the good graces with the wide spectrum of athletes across our team. She is a gamer and ready to give anything a go.

2007

Martin Michael

The noblest of all gentleman athletes that the team has ever known. His consistency, camaraderie, empathy, and determination set him in an echelon that all athletes can learn from. His performances are carefully planned and executed with most results going the way of the dream.

Michele Santilhano

The world is not quite ready for a woman of this caliber. Her endurance feats in one season are nothing short of remarkable. Her endurance, recovery ability, desire to excel, desire to find human limits are what set her apart not from just the average athlete but from even the best world class competitors.

2006

Pierre Pujol

Dogged determination with an understanding of the global and minutiae of triathlon have kept him on a constant trajectory upward in his triathlon career. His unparalleled preparation for Ironman Cour de Alene where he ran with a torn tendon in his foot, but it still netted a Hawaii Ironman qualification where he managed a most respectable finish in his first World Championship appearance.

Kirsten Kempe

The strongest, sturdiest, and swiftest triathlon runner to ever grace the team. Her sheer joy of running has propelled her to many top finishes at the sprint to Ironman distance, along with an fantastic appearance and finish at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. There is no one else that can match her spirit to run for the pleasure of it regardless of time or place, which she never even calculates or records.

2005

Jeff Piland

The quietest most humble elite athlete that you may ever meet. His ascent through the age group ranks at numerous races along with overall race wins have made him a contender on the national stage for his professional career.

Sally Phillips

Her strengths are her determination and her mental outlook, along with her phenomenal endurance capabilities. She has made tremendous improvements on her cycling enough to challenge our teams top riders as well as her racing peers. She epitomizes a team player and has been a fabulous training partner and confidante to many athletes on the team.

2004

Lennard Hachmann

He parlayed his epic leg speed with his strong determination and his unmatched preparation skills to launch himself to the forefront of the team and the regional and national scene as a top competitor. His swimming improved to a point where he could still be a threat for the win on the run.

Mimi Winsberg

She came from out of nowhere to have one of the most diverse seasons of racing in the history of the team. Events from long distance cross country skiing to short sprints at swim meets to sprint and Ironman triathlons. Her recovery and preparation ability and determination married with tenacity thrust her to be a endurance force.

2003

Ed Owen

In only a few short years of being a triathlete he has leveraged his world class swim speed into a strong cycling and a national class long distance runner in the Ironman. Ed logged one of the top five fastest Ironman run splits ever on the team with a 3 hours 25 minute marathon to go along with a team record 49 minute 2.4 mile swim.

Tina Lount

She was totally relentless in her racing endeavors again this year. Coming back after a year off to give birth to her first child, Tina raced herself into shape and back to the highest point of the podium in races ranging from sprint to the Ironman. An inspiration to aspiring parents everywhere.

2002

John Richardson

One of the strongest riders on our team even though he give up a couple of decades in age to most of his teammates. This ageless wonder has carved out a name for himself on the regional scene with numerous top age group placin

Edie Heideman

One would never know by looking at her that this is the fiercest competitor that the team has ever known. She will let nothing stand in the way of her and a finish line. Sweet and motherly on the outside, while rugged and rough on inside. She mowed down most of the woman in her age group with top placings at Nationals and World Championships.

2001

Chris Berry

A remarkably strong athlete in each discipline. Started with a water polo background and used hard work to raise him to the top of the team and the top of his age group nationally with a phenomenal 9 hours 30 minute Ironman California which qualified him for Hawaii Ironman where he went about the same time.

Tina Lount

A fearless and prolific competitor who raced more than anyone on the team with countless wins and top age group placings. She uses her wicked-fast foot speed to close out races faster than any of her competitors.

Athlete of the Month

The Team Sheeper Athlete of the Month award is handed out to a member of the team on a monthly basis, 7 or 8 times a year. The AOM is someone who made a notable contribution to the team or did something remarkable. Selection is made by nomination and voting by the membership.

You can nominate anyone and the nomination period is usually during the first week or two of the month. Look for notification that nominations are being sought. When nomination close, the voting starts and once all the votes are tallied, the new AOM is crowned.

Besides bragging rights for a month, our AOM gets some goodies from our gracious sponsors, such as free shoes from TRH, a massage from SMI, gift certificates from GoRide.

Fleet Feet Menlo Park is proud to sponsor this month’s athlete who embodies the spirit of Team Sheeper. We believe running can change everything, that an active lifestyle is a healthy lifestyle, and that we all have an athlete hidden within.

Kirsten Kempe

September 2015 Athlete of the Month

What is an injury or obstacle you have had to overcome to achieve your goal?Work can get in the way of workouts and races. I have had to adjust work meetings and travel to make sure I can get in key workouts and participate in fun events.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to a beginner triathlete?Have fun! And get rid of the watch.

Do you prefer to run flats, hills, trails, roads or a combination?I love to run up, up, up on trails. Not a big fan of coming down.

If you could be the best swimmer, cyclist or runner, which would you choose?I would be the best swimmer and runner.

Fleet Feet Menlo Park is proud to sponsor this month’s athlete who embodies the spirit of Team Sheeper. We believe running can change everything, that an active lifestyle is a healthy lifestyle, and that we all have an athlete hidden within.

Lennard Hachmann

July 2015 Athlete of the Month

Lennard is a team stalwart and front of the pack athlete. He recently produced an outstanding performance in challenging conditions at Ironman Canada which earned him this Athlete of the Month award. Read his race report and learn how he dealt with freezing rain and slippery conditions on the bike, had his best IM run, and enjoyed his experience.

SMI is proud to sponsor this month’s athlete who embodies the spirit of Team Sheeper. SMI is a non-profit public benefit corporation dedicated to the prevention and treatment of overuse injuries, optimization of human function and enhancement of athletic performance.

Mark O’Sullivan

June 2015 Athlete of the Month

Mark won this month’s Athlete of the Month award primarily due to his performance at IM Austria. Read his race report, and about his ongoing race battles with his brother-in-law right here.

GoRide Bicycles has been a long time sponsor of the team and is committed to creating the best possible environment for you to get your new bike.

Mike Ross

May 2015 Athlete of the Month

What is an injury or obstacle you have had to overcome to achieve your goal?I’d say my genetic endowment 🙂

How many hours a week do you typically train?10-15 hours

What is the best piece of advice you would give to a beginner triathlete?Join a team

What is on your athletic bucket list? What would be your ultimate achievement?I’m afraid an Iron Man is creeping toward the list

How do you set your goals?Carefully and foolishly…

SMI is proud to sponsor this month’s athlete who embodies the spirit of Team Sheeper. SMI is a non-profit public benefit corporation dedicated to the prevention and treatment of overuse injuries, optimization of human function and enhancement of athletic performance.

Jennifer Ford

July 2014 Athlete of the Month

If you were an energy bar, which flavor would you be?Ben & Jerry’s Phish food – chocolate, marshmallow & caramel. I don’t think they’ve made it yet but if they did….

How many hours a week do you typically train?Errr, this year somewhere between zero and ten depending on travel, work etc I need an event in the calendar to focus my training and that hasn’t happened this year as my chiropractic exams have taken priority.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to a beginner triathlete?Join a team (preferably Team Sheeper!) and get involved.

Do you prefer to run flats, hills, trails, road or a combination?Hilly trails – preferably downhill 😉 Although I like to mix it up, variety is the spice of life and all that.

What is on your athletic bucket list? What would be your ultimate achievement?1:35 half marathon – yikes now I’ve written that I may have to do something about it! Team events like Hood to Coast and Trans Tahoe swim really appeal to me. Anyone interested?!

If you could be the best swimmer, cyclist or runner, which would you choose?Being the best cyclist would be most useful for triathlon but watching top swimmers blows my mind – I’d love to feel how it would be to swim that fast!

Do you have any recommended resources to share (books, websites, etc)?Before my first (and only!) Ironman I really enjoyed reading Chrissie Wellingtons book – A Life Without Limits, the Brownlee brothers book – Swim, Bike, Run – our triathlon story and 17 hours to Glory. Reading about others doing so much more than I am trying to do makes it seem more attainable!

Fleet Feet Menlo Park is proud to sponsor this month’s athlete who embodies the spirit of Team Sheeper. We believe running can change everything, that an active lifestyle is a healthy lifestyle, and that we all have an athlete hidden within.

Jessica Smith

June 2014 Athlete of the Month

How many hours a week do you typically train?Thanks to coach Tim, I have a pretty full training schedule these days! I normally follow a three week cycle where I have two big weeks at 25-30 hours per week and then a rest week at 12-15hrs. During a big week I typically swim 5-7 hours, bike 12-16 hours, and run 6-7 hours.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to a beginner triathlete?My best advice for beginners is train with people! When you first get started in the sport, it can be a bit overwhelming. Teammates can help you figure out the best gear, how to train for your next event, and of course will keep you company along the way. Even as a pro triathlete I feel incredibly lucky to be part of this team! My teammates get me out of bed in the morning and push me beyond what I thought was possible. When I think back to the most fun and/or epic training sessions, they all include my Team Sheeper teammates. And wow, there have been a lot of epic sessions!

How do you set your goals?When I started working with Tim, Mike, and Ian last year, we first looked at what I really want to get out of my triathlon career. What are my “big dreams”? We’ll call that point B. Then we looked at where I was currently, we’ll call that point A. Next it was just figuring out how to get from point A to point B, sounds easy right? In order to keep me progressing and motivated, we set small, more attainable goals – first for each key training session, then for each race, and finally for each season. Of course I have met some of my goals more quickly that I thought I would and others have taken a little longer. The goals are really just the guide. They continue to evolve as I do. I mean, when I first started triathlon my ULTIMATE goal was to finish an Ironman. Now I want to win one!

Do you have any recommended resources to share (books, websites, etc)?There are two resources I would recommend to everyone. The first is Training Peaks. If you are serious about progressing in triathlon, this tool is an absolute must. I started using TPs about a year ago and it has made a huge impact on my training. Now if I get sick, injured, or over tired, I can review the data (or let’s be honest, Ian Hersey can) and figure out what I did that led to the issue and correct it for future training. I can also track my progress and set realistic goals for future workouts and races. It does take awhile to learn all the functionality, but I’m sure Ian Hersey can help with all that! He’s the TP’s expert! The second resource I would recommend is a book called Mindset, by Carol S. Dweck. Since reading this, having a “growth mindset” has kind of become my mantra. It doesn’t matter if I have a bad training day or race result. I’m in this sport for the long haul and I know with hard work and determination I will continue to progress. The book provides a great message for every aspect of life, but I found it particularly meaningful for triathlon!

Where do you draw your inspiration?It’s impossible not to be inspired by all my amazing Team Sheeper teammates! All our athletes who regularly complete the Epic ride and ultimate run, or ride solo across the country, or stand atop the podium at every race they enter, or train their tails off and then rush home to spend the rest of the day with their kids, or balance hectic work schedules to squeeze in every extra minute of training possible, or change careers so they can be more focused on health and wellness, or spend nights in their garage increasing their bike power and fitness, or simply show up and giving 100% at all their training sessions – you keep me going! We have a team of fun, amazing, talented, and most importantly incredibly hard working people. I am so honored to be a part of this group and am inspired every single day.

Fleet Feet Menlo Park is proud to sponsor this month’s athlete who embodies the spirit of Team Sheeper. We believe running can change everything, that an active lifestyle is a healthy lifestyle, and that we all have an athlete hidden within.

Perry Shoor

May 2014 Athlete of the Month

If you were an energy bar, which flavor would you be?Oatmeal raisin. (oatmeal raisin anything)

What is an injury or obstacle you have had to overcome to achieve your goal?Stop crashing my bike. (so far only flesh wounds)

How many hours a week do you typically train?8 to 10 hours/week. I rarely ride for more than 2.5 hrs. at any one time.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to a beginner triathlete?Try to get as many training sessions in as you can. Do as many team sessions as you can manage. Try to get as lean as possible.

What would be your ultimate achievement?Hope to make at least Honorable Mention next year in USAT rankings.

Where do you draw your inspiration?Team Sheeper has so many superb athletes to motivate me, but in a extremely supportive way. Anybody that puts in the effort WILL see improvement.

Paul Buttery

April 2014 Athlete of the Month

What is an injury or obstacle you have had to overcome to achieve your goal?My toughest injury to overcome was herniating two disks about 6 years ago (during a trial foot race). I couldn’t drive or even sit in a chair for about 6 months after and it was almost 3 years before I could run again. It was shortly after joining Team Sheeper that I really focused on athletics again. Now, despite some lingering sciatica, I can run without issue. It’s great to feel fit again!

How many hours a week do you typically train?Consistency is my toughest personal challenge so I wouldn’t say there is a “typical” week. Leading up to WildFlower I was training ~10-15 hrs per week. Some weeks I fall off and only train 5 hrs. There’s still much to be desired. But I think that’s the point of this sport – to admit your flaws but strive for your best. I’m back in my groove again now and aiming for 10-15 hrs again in preparation for Penticton long course.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to a beginner triathlete?Don’t go straight for the Ironman! It seems like many people start triathlon to finish an Ironman. They train for it, finish it, and leave the sport all within a year. This approach misses all the long-term benefits – the fitness, the nutritional changes, the friendships – that take years to build. Excuse the cliche but enjoy the journey by building your goals in stepped phases, allowing the lessons from each step to truly sink in.

How do you set your goals?On the first full moon of the new year, I sacrifice a baby lamb to the gods, asking them for a sign … oh wait, wrong sport. Awkward. Actually, my goal this year is “just show up” which was inspired from Tim’s speech at the Christmas party (sorry for the brown nosing). I’ve signed up for many of the team races this year and try to attend the key team workouts (track, chase groups, Saturday rides, Sunday runs). I also tried all of the team challenges though some of them got the best of me. Our coaches put so much into building the team community – “just show up” is my way of saying thank you.

Where do you draw your inspiration?Heidi, my wife, urged me to join Team Sheeper about 3 months after she joined. She was my inspiration then and still is. I realize I’m biased but I’m not alone – so many others seem to be drawn to Heidi’s enthusiasm, charm and determination. Sometimes she’s the high five waiting for me at the end of WildFlower long course. Sometimes she’s the foot that kicks me out of bed Monday mornings for an early swim. Always, she inspires me to dig deeper and bring out the best in myself.

Where’s Tim?

This is a partial compilation of the multi-sport events that Tim Sheeper has joyously taken part in over the past few years. Tim competes for the challenge, the diversity and the satisfaction of leaving a job well done. Place and time are not included in this list because Tim believes that once something is done to the best of one’s ability on that given day it is a personal success. Rankings, often times diminish the feelings of satisfaction, as comparison can strip away joy. Tim rarely feels there is a need to go back and review the place, time or standings. (If you would like to know, visit athlinks.com)

Competing is a personal and precious gift. This is where Tim has been, and this is where he hopes to go in his journey through the multi-sport world.